Just like the title of the article says, this week I wanted to dive in to this concept of ‘danger’ and exercises.

When I first started as a Personal Trainer in 2010, strength training machines, specifically the seated leg extension were deemed ‘dangerous’.

I remember telling clients “avoid this machine because it’s going to put a lot of stress on your _____” or “You could do this movement, but you need to watch out for ____ so you don’t hurt yourself”.

After 12+ years, I have an official statement on ‘danger’ and exercise.

There are no bad movements, exercises, or machines…there are only bodies that aren’t designed or that aren’t ready for what that movement, exercise, or machine provides.

Let me break this down.

ArticlesCasey LeeMarch 14, 2022movement assessment, strength training, myth bustingComment

Home Gym Series: 3 Things To Consider When Switching To A Home Gym

Making the jump from working out in a gym to your own home gym brings a grocery list of benefits.

You’ll save time with no commute
You’ll save money with no membership (or you can allocate your gym fees to buying home gym equipment)
You’ll be more efficient with less distractions
You’ll have more opportunities for fitness with the gym hours being 24/7 (see what I did there?).

Pretty great list, right?

Well, like with any gym membership, it only works if YOU work and you’ll only get the list of benefits above if you actually use it.

That’s what I wanted to write about today. Though a home gym is more accessible, more cost effective, and more time-saving, it can be a tough transition working out in your home, basement, or garage.

ArticlesCasey LeeMarch 10, 2022home gym series, home gym, workout tipsComment

Lacking Motivation? Read This. [Free Download Included]

Motivation is the most fickle emotion in the land if fitness and nutrition.

It comes in fast and can leave even faster.

I've touched on this topic in the past a few times. The feedback has always been positive, so I wanted to take another approach to answering the question.

"Why can't I stay motivated to workout?"

ArticlesCasey LeeMarch 7, 2022motivation, training motivation, how do i stay motivated, free downloadComment

Why You're Doing What You're Doing: The Movement Assessment

For those keeping score at home, I write the Home Gym Series, which has been going splendidly, twice a month, nutritional strategies get some love one week a month, and now this series.

This series is all about answering questions related to the programming clients receive at Purposeful Strength. Through these answers I am hoping that you will learn about new concepts in your workouts, see the thought process(es) that go in to working with a Personal Trainer, and like I am doing with Beyond Strength, steal my ideas for your own workouts!

Our first edition covers a topic that all my personal training clients, in person and online, go through; the movement assessment.

“Hey Casey, Can you just start the workouts?”

Nope.

I Did My Food Journal...Now What?

In my 12 years of personal training, coaching people on achieving fitness has never been the challenge.

You see, exercise is an external addition to your body. If you were able to regulate sleep well, eat the right levels of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and just move around for 10,000-15,000 steps, there is a very high chance that your body would be deemed ‘healthy’.

No additional exercise needed.

The challenge has always been nutrition.

The old cliché says that ‘food is fuel’, it is so much more than that.

Food is social. Food is comforting. Food is fun (ever make cookies with a 3 year old?). Food is status. Food is pleasurable. Food is a necessity for life.

Because of the reasons above, trust me, the list continues. People’s relationship with food varies. This variability makes coaching nutrition exponentially challenging.

ArticlesCasey LeeFebruary 28, 2022nutrition, nutrition coaching, food journal, food log, how many calories should I eatComment

Home Gym Series: Peloton and Strength Training - How To Improve Your Peloton Rides

I love spinning, I always have. It’s been the only group exercise class I’ve consistently taken in a gym setting since college. The music kicks ass, the instructors are always fun, dark rooms, fun lights.

On a physical level, Peloton/ spinning is low impact (easy on the joints, taxes your lower body and lungs (what’s up physical growth?), and has measurable metrics that can be used to track improvements.

It’s my jam, for sure.

So Peloton, though I don’t have one - my wife wanted a treadmill instead (*insert eye roll*)- would definitely be something that I consider, and have recommended to friends and clients who I think would enjoy that community driven approach.

Okay, Casey, pipe it…how do I get better at my Peloton rides and how do I increase my output?